Viswanathan Anand rates Topalov as a "dangerous opponent"

New Delhi, June 17 (ANI): Reigning chess champion Viswanathan Anand, who would be playing former world champion Veseline Topalov in the next World Championships, has rated the Bulgarian as a "dangerous opponent".

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a promotional event here on Tuesday, Anand described the Bulgarian grandmaster as a player who has a "decent amount of match experience" and does not get "disheartened".

"After several setbacks he is able to come back. He almost seems to grow a new limb. You cut something off and he grows something new. He is able to block the previous game and continue and I think that will make him a very dangerous opponent," he said.

Reacting to former world chess champion Garry Kasparov's comment that Anand's reign as the World Champion at the age of 40 could end soon, he said "he still wants to play on".

"The real danger is the lack of desire, not your age. If it comes because of age, then it is related but age itself is not the point. I think when you stop enjoying the tension of a sporting event, then may be it is time to move on but certainly I don't feel that way," Anand said.

On his dominance in rapid chess, Anand said he tried not to be in very deep thoughts and he thought of reasonably good positions instead of one perfect move. (ANI)